26 Jun 2023, 21:26
AND THEY'RE OFF!
Soon to meet up with @Aurora Henderson
10 June 2023.
It began as any other chill evening at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Supper had ended and most of the students were winding down - finishing some last-minute or perhaps forgotten assignments and getting ready to settle in for the night. Simon sat leafing through the pages from his newest edition of Enchanments Magazine, a monthly magazine about spells and charms. This world of magic never ceased to amaze him.
*Squeak*
Simon glanced up mid-sentence to see his gray pet rat staring directly at him, as it rested on the arm of the sofa next to him.
"Rascal, I've already told you. We can't go outside and you can't go exploring. It's late."
Simon went back to his reading - finishing that sentence and the paragraph, then those that followed. He flipped to the next page.
*Squeak* *Squeak*
He looked up once again from his reading and his brown eyes locked with the little beady black ones. Rascal slowly raised up on his hind legs to show his discontent and Simon knew that look.....that look meant trouble.
"Rascal, no. No, Rascal. We'll go to the dormitory soon and I'll get you a treat before bed."
Slowly the rat brought himself back to all-fours and Simon thought he had won until he noticed the rodent giving what seemed to be a curious peer down to the floor. Oh no, he was up to something. The promise of the treat wasn't going to cut it.
With one more defiant *Squeak* the rat took off like lightning!
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WELCOME TO THE RASCAL RACE AT HOGWARTS DOWNS! HE'S AT THE GATE! AND THEY'RE OFF! ER- HE'S OFF!" Down the rat jumped from the sofa and scurried across the Hufflepuff Common Room floor, dashing straight towards the door. Oop, skidding slightly to the left... RASCAL MCKENZIE-KINCAID HAD A BIT OF AN AWKWARD START, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, BUT BROKE WELL! HE RUNS TO THE OUTSIDE AND MAKES A MOVE FOR THE FIRST TURN! HE'S UP AND ON THE PACE!
Simon was up from his seat now, his magazine abandoned on the sofa as he headed toward the doorway. Please stay closed, please stay closed. It was most unfortunate for him in that moment that he belonged to perhaps the most socializing group at Hogwarts and, of course, a group of three Hufflepuffs made their way, the doorway now clearly open.
AND HE GATHERS UP SPEED! HE MOVES TO THE CENTER OF THE TRACK! HE'S OUT, MAINTAINING THE LEAD AND PICKING UP SPEED, RASCAL IS OUT IN THE CORRIDORS!
"Pardon me, excuse me, my apologies, sorry," Simon said as he pushed past his fellow Hufflepuff housemates and watched as his rat dashed like a blur down the long corridor of the First Floor. He sighed. Leave it to him to deny Rascal one of his wishes to have an adventure and for being guillible enough not to realize that he would take one regardless of being given the opportunity or not. Seize the day, Rascal!
Simon never quite knew what got into the rat during times like these, but it was probably similar to how they say dogs get the zoomies - a burst of energy resulting in wild abandon.
Simon took a deep breath and then began after the rat.
AND KINCAID NOW LEADS THE WAY TO THE BACKSTRETCH! HE'S GOT A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER! RASCAL, ALONG THE RAIL! CAN KINCAID OVERTAKE HIM? IT'S RASCAL, AHEAD BY A LONG SHOT! KINCAID, PICKS UP THE PACE...
The track would be unspecified that evening because that rat was capable of anything - weaving in and out of people, stopping to hide behind suits of armor, running up or down staircases...
IT'S RASCAL STILL IN THE LEAD WITH KINCAID CLOSE BEHIND!
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
26 Jun 2023, 21:55
AND THEY'RE OFF!
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date: 6/10/23 | place: Corridors | #ba9826= Aurora(English) | Thoughts= Italics
I was starting to enjoy the quiet more nowadays. I guess the letter I'd gotten a few days ago in early June had changed the way I thought about the world, though I'm not sure why or how. Or, having spent 10 months running back to back to back, now I was just grateful that I could walk and enjoy the splendour of the castle, for once. For the journey along the corridors, I brought along my right-hand(shoulder)rat, Cocoa.
Neither of us had been getting out that much, and plus we both needed exercise. A simple walk around the castle would do, I thought, except that when it came to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, nothing was ever simple. I learned that the hard way in September, but now I knew my way around. I let Cocoa off my shoulder to run along the bannister while staying close. I followed her quickly as we began to go up and down the castle.
I was catching up to Cocoa, who was scampering across the floor, trying to not get too far behind when I something zooming in my direction. It was small and grey, and it ran like its life depended on it. "A rat?" I thought aloud. The rat was going all over the place, I noticed. What was it doing here? Did it belong to somebody? If so, then apparently that somebody had a very energetic rat.
I squinted at it, and then noticed that Cocoa was running after the rat. "Cocoa, no-" I ran after her, but she was well ahead of me. If only I had my dog...or even a cat... I struggled to catch up, but eventually grabbed Cocoa by the tail. I made a wild dive for the other rat, assuming that it did belong to somebody, and if not, then it would have to watch out for cats. I picked myself up off the floor. Did I get it? I think so...
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interacting with: @Simon Kincaid
mentions: @
word count: 310
| Sta-7 Eva-8 Str-5 Arc-7 Acc-7 Wis-6 | Check out my shop! | No sport |
| RO'S ENCY | "You broke the ship! You broke the bloody ship!" | ROKS'S ENCY |
26 Jun 2023, 22:22
AND THEY'RE OFF!
Looking for a hero in @Aurora Henderson
"Rasc...." he turned the corner and stopped, placing one hand on the wall of the corridor and the other at his side to try and catch his breath. "Rascal...stop. Dude. Just....dude. We can't keep.... we can't keep doing this. We just can't. It's not right. It's not ethically okay. Have some compassion. Have some morals, mate."
Lots of talking for someone so out of breath. That was sort of Simon Kincaid for you. He was so social that he'd have a conversation with one of the suits of armors that lined the corridors. Well, half a conversation, at least.
He saw a girl up ahead who had bounded forward. Maybe she saw him scurry past and then it struck him....maybe Rascal saw her passing by. She had bright red hair and it was no secret that Rascal Mackenzie-Kincaid loved himself a redheaded girl. "Were you trying to catch a rogue rat that seemed as if he was trying to imitate The Flash? I swear, he puts my dhampir reflexes to shame."
Maybe he shouldn't have said that but he did recognize the girl to be one of his fellow Hufflepuffs and, well, they usually weren't so judgemental. At least, that's the way he thought of his house - the nicest and most compassionate and understanding in all of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a shame that not everyone could be an amazing Hufflepuff.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
26 Jun 2023, 22:50
AND THEY'RE OFF!
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date: 6/10/23 | place: Corridors | #ba9826= Aurora(English) | Thoughts= Italics
As soon as I got up from the floor after attempting to dive-bomb the rat(okay, maybe not dive-bomb it), I realised that I was clutching the grey rat by the tail. Oh, I caught it! I was surprised I did because that rat was super speedy! But, I think myself to have exceptionally good reflexes and pride myself on it, especially in duels. However, rat-catching was never in the job description of being a duelist, so...well...?
Just then, I saw someone nearby. I raised my eyebrow at him. Was this his rat? But, getting a closer look, I could see that he was an older Hufflepuff and one that I recognized from an event or two at the castle, though I forgot his name. What he said to me really caught me off guard. I blinked at him, surprised. Not because he was a dhampir, apparently, I knew that there were plenty of mixed race/special talent students at this school. What surprised me was how he said it, and that he said it at all, but I didn't dwell on it.
What had he initially been talking about again? Right, right, the rat. "Do you mean this rogue rat?" I asked him, holding up the grey rat. "Yeah, I was trying to catch him, I assumed he belonged to somebody. You have a very...lively pet. But, I have lots of experience with that, so...you're welcome, I guess?" I was grasping at thin air in terms of what to say, because what do you say when you catch somebody's rat for them?
I guess there's no said template for that, is there? I was just glad that I had managed to procure the little scallywag and be able to return him to his owner, luckily all in one piece, because people here did own cats...
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interacting with: @Simon Kincaid
mentions: @
word count: 300
| Sta-7 Eva-8 Str-5 Arc-7 Acc-7 Wis-6 | Check out my shop! | No sport |
| RO'S ENCY | "You broke the ship! You broke the bloody ship!" | ROKS'S ENCY |
27 Jun 2023, 03:14
AND THEY'RE OFF!
Thankful for @Aurora Henderson
She held up Rascal and he sniffed the air and then turned toward her, looking at his captor in a curious manner. Maybe he could catch sight of the red hair. Simon didn't know exactly if rats could see colors, but his pet rat always did seem to gravitate to the bright shining red hair of someone that might have reminded him of his first owner.
Simon wasn't always Rascal's owner, and before he was in his care, the gray rat belonged to a former Hufflepuff a year older than he was named Alexa Mackenzie. She was a wonderful and caring person, someone who brightened up anyone's life. She unfortunately was gone too soon, passing away in a car accident over one Christmas break. Knowing of what fate she was about to most likely meet, she was able to roll down the window and bring her pet rat to safely and somehow, by the grace of God perhaps, little Rascal made his way back to Hogwarts where Simon found him out by the Great Lake. He had taken him in and had been trying his best with rat ownernship ever since.
"Thank you. Thank you for having such quick reactions and for caring enough to grab him," Simon smiled as he began to walk closer. Rascal perked up and froze. Simon knew that freeze. ...He was thinking about running again. Simon stopped approaching, waiting for Rascal to relax again.
"Do you have yourself a pet as headstrong as mine is?"
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)
13 Jul 2023, 17:13
AND THEY'RE OFF!
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date: 6/10/23 | place: Corridors | #ba9826= Aurora(English) | Thoughts= Italics
Well, that rat certainly was not shy, but I had a bit of experience with bold animals. Well, 10 months of experience, really. I loved Cocoa's bold personality, and I was more grateful of the fact that she hardly ever left my shoulder when I brought her along wherever I was going. This grey rat was the same way, I assumed. I briefly wondered if Cocoa and the rat would get along, but I'd have to ask the rat's owner.
I realised I was still holding Cocoa by her tail, and quickly set her on my shoulder once again, grimacing. "Sorry," I mouthed apologetically. I turned back to the Hufflepuff, who I assumed was the rat's owner. "No worries," I said after he had thanked me. "I was happy to help. We are Hufflepuffs after all, it's in the job description." I laughed, then looked at the rat in my hand again.
"So...does this little rascal have a name? And do you, because I might've known it at one point but forgot it." I vaguely wondered if the grey rat was probably named after a food, but probably not, that's a really weird idea. Who would name their pet after a food? I was about to give the rat back to its owner, who had been coming closer, when all of a sudden, he stopped in his tracks.
"What, is something wrong?" I asked. I looked at the rat. He(I'm now assuming it's he)was very still. I didn't try to do anything. "Yes, I do in fact have a headstrong pet...and she seems very interested in yours..." It was true, Cocoa, who was luckily still on my shoulder, was regarding the rat with what I took to be a curious expression. I took Cocoa off my shoulder and held her in my other hand.
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interacting with: @Simon Kincaid
mentions: @
word count: 295
Just as a disclaimer, Aurora does not know Rascal's name, so when she calls him a rascal, she doesn't mean his name yet I also put it in there for OOC humour
| Sta-7 Eva-8 Str-5 Arc-7 Acc-7 Wis-6 | Check out my shop! | No sport |
| RO'S ENCY | "You broke the ship! You broke the bloody ship!" | ROKS'S ENCY |
28 Jul 2023, 14:30
AND THEY'RE OFF!
Talking with @Aurora Henderson
Rascal was very still in the girl's arms and as she began to cradle it more in her hands, no longer dangling from his tail, he just blinked. His eyes were investigating the redhead. "He likes redheaded girls," Simon admitted as he went to come gently take the grey rat from her. "His original owner was one."
As he drew Rascal away, Rascal just kept his eyes on Aurora but as he got drawn back a bit more, it seemed he noticed the brown rat that she had and he perked up, taking interest as well. Squeak!
"His name is Rascal, Rascal Mackenzie-Kincaid, hypenated name. We didn't want to lose all of Alexa, did we, mate? We both miss her." he looked to Rascal. Rascal was now stretching himself tall as if trying to show off his manly self for the other rat. "I'm serious, I know you just called him a little rascal but totally his name," Simon smiled.
"And I'm Simon. Simon Kincaid, fellow Hufflepuff. And you two are?"
Once knowing her name he could properly thank her. Honestly, this would have probably been an excursion that would take place for the entire afternoon and then some if she hadn't come along and caught Rascal, and now Rascal seemed quite occupied in her own rat so he was calm and not about to dart off again.
Be kind to one another. (*iNPC is Miles Thatcher)